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THERE  is  but  one  short,  sure,  and  comfortable  way  to  get  into  the 
Cripple  Creek  district,  and  that  is  by  the  Colorado  Midland  Rail- 
way, from  Denver,  Colorado  Springs,  Pueblo,  Leadville,  Aspen,  Salt  Lake 
City,  Ogden,  Pacific  Coast,  and  any  intermediate  point  east  or  west  The 
Colorado  Midland  runs  to  Florissant,  at  which  point  it  connects  direct 
with  Hundley's  Stage  Line  for  Fremont,  the  center  of  the  mining  dis- 
trict. (A  new  toll  road  will  be  completed  in  a  very  short  time  from 
Hay  den  Station,  on  tho  Colorado  Midland  Railway,  ten  miles  east  of 
Florissant,  and  stages  \/ill  start  from  there  when  the  line  is  ready.) 

There  are  two  daily  passenger  trains  each  way,  with  connections  at 
Ogden,  from  California  and  North  Pacific  Coast  points,  and  at  Denver, 
Colorado  Springs  and  Pueblo,  with  all  lines  from  the  east.  In  addition, 
local  trains  will  soon  be  put  on  to  take  care  of  the  intermediate  traffic. 

.  The  stage  ride  is  but  two  and  one-half  hours  from  the  railway,  over 
as  good  a  mountain  road  as  can  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  country. 
Coupon  tickets,  either  one  way  or  round  trip,  are  on  sale  at  all  ticket 
offices  in  Colorado  and  Utah,  direct  to  the  camp. 

All  further  information,  relative  to  the  district,  can  be  obtained  on 
application  to  any  agent  of  the  Colorado  Midland  Railway  Company,  or 

S.  N.  NYE,  CHAS.  S.  LEE, 

Passenger  Agent,  General  Passenger  Agent, 

COLORADO  SPRINGS.  DENVER,  COLO. 


RIPPLE  Creek 


A  <^ 

At  the  foot  of 

Pike 


Descrjptioi^  of  i\)c  flew  Qold  District.    TI?e  I^icl;)cst 
a9d  /ytost  Exterjsive  ii;)  tlpe  Wcst> 


CRIPPLE  CREEK,  like  many  tinother  spot  known  to  fame  and  his- 
tory, received  its  name  from  an  event  of  importance.  Some  years 
ago  :,  man  attempted  to  cross  the  creek;  his  horse  stumbled  under  him, 
he  was  thrown  and  had  his  leg  broken,  and  from  that  time  the  before 
nameless  stream  has  been  known  as  "Cripple  Creek."  The  name  is 
neither  euphoueous  nor  beautiful,  but  it  is,  at  least,  distinctive,  and  has 
at  length  secured  prominent  mention  in  the  world's  history,  and  a  promi- 
nent place  on  the  map  of  the  United  States.  Whatever  the  name 
lacks  in  grace  and  beauty,  the  surroundings  make  ample  compensation 
for.  Beautiful,  grand,  and  impressive,  as  many  of  the  parks  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  are,  none  excel  that  which  holds  in  its  wide  embrace 
the  marvelous  gold  mining  district  which  has  been  opened  to  the  world 
within  the  past  few  months.  It  is  but  a  few  short  years  that  the  fierce 
Ute  Indians  roamed  the  park  at  will  and  hunted  the  buffalo,  deer,  bear, 
and  birds,  then  profuse  in  their  abundance.  Day  after  day  these  painted 
savages  devoured  the  half-raw  fl(*h  of  the  game  they  slaughtered,  and 
stripped  the  pine  trees  for  the  primitive  "bark  soup,"  little  dreaming 
that  beneath  their  feet  lay  untold  millions  of  native  gold.  The  sun 
shone  as  brightly  as  it  does  to-day,  and  looked  down  with  as  kindly  a 
glance  upon  the  towering  hills  and  undulating  valleys  of  the  beautiful 
park.  The  vast  solitude  was  unbroken,  save  by  the  Indian  and  the  na- 
tive beasts  and  birds,  until  the  more  adventurous  of  the  white  men  dis- 


covered  the  rich  and  bountiful  ranges,  and  began  herding  cattle  in  the 
sheltered  valleys.  From  the  arrival  of  the  first  white  man  began  the 
search  for  the  hidden  gold,  but  it  is  only  within  a  year  that  the  pres- 
ence of  the  yellow  metal,  in  large  quantities,  has  been  positively  d'emon- 
strated. 

Repeated  trials  have  been  made,  during  the  last  twenty  years,  to 
find  gold  in  this  particular  district,  but  so  cunningly  had  the  store- 
house been  concealed  that  even  the  most  expert  miners  were  deceived. 
There  are  thousands  \\^o  remember  the  mad  rush  to  Mount  Pisgah,  in 


"bound  fob  the  mines  — the  first  coach." 

April,  1885.  It  is  true,  that  the  supposed  rich  deposit  of  gold  was 
deposited  there  by  human  hands  for  speculative  purposes;  that  the  great 
mine  in  the  new  El  Dorado  was  *'  salted,"  but  there  was  gold  within  so 
short  a  distance  of  the  place  where  this  piece  of  knavery  was  practiced, 
that  it  seems  almost  miraculous  the  mining  district  was  not  located  at 
the  time.  Many  an  old  prospector  has  examined  the  outcroppings,  and 
one  was  even  confident  enough  to  run  a  tunnel  into  the  hill  directly 
under  the  spot  where  one  of  the  richest  deposits  has  since  been  located, 
but  none  succeeded  in  finding  the  gold. 

This  may  seem  strange;  but  if  we  take  into  consideration  the  fact 
that  the  most  expert  miners  have  since  been  "  fooled  "  by  the  ore  of  this 


particular  district,  the  wonder  is  accounted  for.  The  gold  ore  was  un- 
like any  other,  and  was  deposited  in  so  unusual  a  manner  that  no  one 
dreamed  of  looking  at  it  for  gold.  In  opening  one  of  the  mines,  ore 
that  ran  thousands  of  dollars  to  the  ton  was  thrown  upon  the  dump  as 
worthless.  In  order  to  explain  how  difficult  it  was  to  convince  people 
that  gold  really  existed  in  large  quantities  in  the  Cripple  Creek  district, 
and  to  give  a  brief  history  of  its  discovery,  we  append  an  article  from 
the  Rocky  Mountain  News,ot  February  28th: 

"  Away  back  in  the  sixties,  when  Hayden's  party  i>assed  through 
this  region,  it  came  pretty  close  to  discovering  this  camp.  A  man  named 
Wood  thought  he  saw  promising  indications  on  what  is  now  Requa  Creek, 
and  in  1874,  he,  with  Messrs.  Requa,  McGee,  Brown,  Coburn  and  Root, 
came  over  and  dug  a  shaft  fifteen  feet  deejf,  from  which  a  tunnel  was  run. 
Wood  was  the  man  with  the  money,  and  conceived  an  idea  that  the  others 
were  not  treating  him  fairly.  The  property  was  abandoned.  Good 
mines  are  now  opened  on  Squaw  gulch  and  Wilson  creek,  which  are  on 
each  side  of  Requa,  and  the  men  of  1874  might  have  done  well  had  they 
continued  operations.  After  that,  prospectors  poked  around  the  hills 
from  time  to  time,  and  it  was  a  well  known  fact  that  colors  of  gold  could 
be  found  in  almost  any  stream,  but  the  right  man  and  the  right  place 
never  came  together. 

"  In  1879,  one  Calkins,  working  for  W.  W.  Montelius,  the  Denver  music 
man,  went  to  work  on  Poverty  gulch  and  ran  a  tunnel  in  for  some  dis- 
tance. It  is  there,  caved  in  and  dilapidated,  and  forms  an  object  lesson 
of  fate,  because  it  missed  the  mineral  by  about  a  hair's  breadth.  The 
Gold  King  is  so  short  a  distance  above  it,  and  to  the  right,  that  a  stone 
may  be  thrown  down  from  one  to  the  other.  If  Calkins  had  the  favor 
of  fortune,  Cripple  Creek  would  have  been  opened  thirteen  years  ago, 
and  he  would  have  reaped  great  profit,  because  he  had  the  place  to 
himself. 

"  The  Pisgah  excitement  was  another  effort  in  the  right  direction, 
though  it  missed  the  mark.  Cripple  Creek  lies  east  of  Mount  Pisgah, 
while  the  fields  that  came  to  nothing  were  west  of  it.  Many  of  the  dis- 
appointed men  who  went  out  of  that  country  on  foot,  cursing  their  luck 
and  the  lack  of  Pullmans,  wquld  have  done  better  had  they  turned  to 
the  east  and  investigated. 

"Robert  Womack  was  the  first  man  to  find  gold  at  Cripple  Creek, 
and,  unlike  the  discoverer  of  Creede,  is  said  to  be  out  of  the  good  things 
that  others  found  in  his  footsteps.  Near  the  end  of  1890,  he  found  some 
good-looking  stuflf  which  he  carried  to  Colorado  Springs  to  interest  capi- 


tal.  The  men  with  money  had  the  Pisgah  boom  in  mind,  and  took  little 
Btock  in  his  assertions.  He  finally  induced  F.  F.  Friesbee,  Dr.  Grannis, 
and  E.  De  La  Vergne  to  have  the  ore  assayed,  and  it  ran  over  200  ounces. 
They  came  out  to  the  camp  January  24, 1891,  and  under  the  guidance  of 
George  W.  Kerr,  an  old  timer,  who  still  resides  at  Cripple  Creek,  prosper- 
ous and  happy,  they  took  samples  out  of  old  prospect  holes  and  from 
the  hillsides,  which  assayed  from  $6  to  $250  They  returned  and  took  up 
the  El  Dorado,  after  riding  past  the  hill  where  the  Blue  Bell  is  located, 
refusing  to  touch  it.    The  El  Dorado  is  northeast  oi  the  town,  close  to 


THE   FIRST  HOUSE. 


Cripple  Creek  and  not  very  far  from  the  Gold  King.  In  partnership 
with  De  La  Vergne  and  Frisbee,  were  J.  F.  Seldomridge  and  Judge  E. 
A.  Colburn.  About  the  same  time,  Martin  brothers  took  up  claims  on 
Globe  Hill,  which  lies  north  of  Gold  Hill. 

"Just  one  year  ago,  yesterday,  the  Blue  Bell  was  located  by  M.  C. 
Lankford,  W.  L.  Spell,  J.  E.  Handbury,  George  W.  Carr  and  J.  S.  Lentz. 
The  first  assay  showed  $43.  Then  the  f a(5t  that  there  was  something  in 
the  Cripple  Creek  district  began  to  be  told  over  the  State  and  prospec- 
tors began  to  make  their  way  in  rapidly.  Colorado  Springs,  being  first 
on  the  ground,  lost  no  time  in  getting  on  the  inside,  and  the  prominent 
men  of  that  city  have  large  holdings.  The  belief  is  abroad  in  the  camp 
that  they  would  have  considerably  more  were   it  not  for  the  reports 


8 

made  by  Professor  Lamb,  who  was  not  favorably  impressed  by  the 
prospects. 

"  During  the  past  summer  and  fall,  ground  was  taken  up  rapidly,  the 
value  of  the  placer  deposits  attracted  attention,  and  nothing  but  the 
absence  of  shipments  prevented  the  great  rush  which  commenced  in 
the  early  part  of  December — less  than  three  months  ago^when  it  was 
learned  that  ore  was  coming  out  and  that  there  was  at  least  some  solid 
backing  for  all  the  talk. 

"  The  real  history  of  the  camp  is  thus  but  a  matter  of  days.  The 
next  six  months  will  add  volumes  to  it. 

"Cripple  Creek  has  many  odd  features  besides  those  under  the 
ground.  Snow  doesn't  lie  deep.  The  last  week  past  the  gulches  and 
hills  around  the  town  were  practically  bare.  On  the  east  side  of  the 
ridge,  there  was  probably  three  times  as  much,  though  only  a  couple  of 
miles  away.  Even  there  it  was  not  deep.  At  night,  fires  may  be  seen 
flaring  up  in  the  distance.  There  is  no  occasion  to  become  alarmed. 
They  are  merely  the  bonfires  of  industrious  prospectors,  who  wush  to 
keep  the  ground  thawed  out  so  they  can  work  next  day. 

"A  couple  of  saloons  boast  of  drawing  cards  in  the  form  of  pictures, 
which  would  cause  Anthony  Comstock  to  expire  on  the  spot.  Of 
another  class,  was  the  artist  who  constructed  a  water  color  effort  which 
is  much  admired  in  the  headquarters  of  one  of  the.  assayers.  It  has  the 
virtuous  appearance  of  a  study  in  whitewash,  but  it  is  labeled  'Michael 
Angels,  price  $8,000.'  .  At  «the  same  place,  is  a  queer  gnarled  rootr 
mounted  with  ten-penny  nails,  which  the  tenderfoot  is  solemnly  told  is  a 
petrified  chicken." 

The  Cripple  Creek  mining  district  is  practically  in  the  Pike's  Peak 
district,  lying  in  the  basin  and  range  of  parks  between  Pike's  Peak  and 
Mount  Pisgah,  ten  miles  southwest  of  the  former,  and  three  miles  south 
by  east  from  the  latter.  As  the  crow  would  fly  (provided  there  were  any), 
the  district  is  distant  from  Denver  seventy  miles;  from  Colorado  Springs 
twenty  miles,  and  from  Pueblo  forty-four  miles,  but  so  difficult  is  it 
to  cross  the  mountains,  that  the  actual  distances  to  be  traversed  be- 
tween these  places  and  the  district  are  much  greater.  The  only  feasible 
route  is  by  rail  from  Denver,  Colorado  Springs,  and  Pueblo,  via  the 
Colorado  Midland  Railway  to  Florissant,  and  thence  by  stage  to  Fremont, 
the  wonderful  town  of  this  most  wonderful  gold  district. 

The  mineral  belt  included  in  the  district  is  about  eight  by  twelve 
miles  in  extent,  including  township  fifteen  south,  in  ranges  sixty-nine 
and  seventy  west;  sections  one  to  six  to  township  sixteen  south,  and 


iaii{,'e  sixty-nine  west,  and  the  same  sections  in  township  sixteen  south, 
and  range  seventy  west.  This  gives  a  territory  of  nearly  one  hundred 
square  miles;  and  when  the  snow  is  off  the  ground  in  the  out-lying  dis- 
tricts, the  boundaries  will  be  extended  considerably.  The  district  con- 
sists of  a  series  of  beautiful  natural  parks,  with  a  mean  altitude  of  9,500 
feet  above  sea  level,  sheltered  on  the  east  by  the  Pike's  Peak  range, 
and  on  the  west  by  the  Sangro  de  Christo.  So  well  is  it  guarded  against 
the  cold  winds  and  heavy  snows,  that  it  is  warmer  by  fifteen  degrees  than 
the  Hayden  Divide,  a  thousand  feet  lower  down.  The  snow  does  not 
remain  on  the  ground  any  length  of  time,  for  the  warm  air  of  the  basin 


-.r-'  -^  — - 


^y^'^ijn 


PIONEER  KTOBE. 


and  the  bright  sunshine  soon  cause  it  to  disappear.  The  cattle  graze  all 
winter  without  difficulty,  and  even  in  midwinter  there  are  glimpses 
of  green  valleys  and  wooded  hillsides.^  The  mountains  are  smooth, 
rounded  and  softly  outlined,  wooded  to  the  top,  and  springing  up  from 
rich,  grassy  valleys.  Mount  Pisgah,  ten  thousand  four  hundred  feet  above 
sea  level,  stands  sentry  over  the  district  and  looks  directly  upon  the 
snow -crowned  head  of  Pike's  Peak,  thirteen  miles  distant. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  lovelier  and  grander  spot.  The 
Rocky  Mountains,  usually  rugged  and  stern  looking,  are  here  smoothed 
over  with  grassy  plains  and  gently  rolling  hillsides  and  valleys.  The 
bare  and  jagged  rocks,  so  common  in  the  mountain  districts,  have  be- 
come covered  with  soil,  and  trees  and  grass  spring  gently  over  their 
rugged  forms.    For  untold  ages,  the  wind  and  water  have  worn  the  hills 


10 

down  until  they  roll  with  a  prairie-like  evenness.  No  landscape  gardener 
could  design  a  more  beautiful  park  than  nature  has  here  completed. 

Notwithstanding  its  proximity  to  the  larger  cities  of  the  State, 
Cripple  Creek's  first  settlers  had  no  easy  time  of  it.  There  was  scarcely 
the  semblance  of  a  road  into  the  district,  and  it  required  two  days  to 
haul  into  the  camp  a  wagon  load  of  supplies,  where  now  double  the 
quantity  can  be  brought  in  in  a  few  hours.  To  Mr.  Peter  Hettic  be- 
longs the  distinction  of  having  established  the  first  store  in  Cripple 
Creek.  The  now  prosperous  and  comfortably-situated  merchant  still 
"  does  business  at  the  old  stand,"  and  laughs  as  he  tells  of  his  first  expe- 
riences. In  May,  1891,  he  put  up  a  tent  and  stocked  it  with  goods,  and 
by  the  7th  of  July  he  had  erected  and  moved  into  the  log  store-house 
he  still  occupies.  At  first,  there  was  no  money  in  the  camp,  and  the  good 
old  custom  of  trading  supplies  for  gold  was  in  vogue.  Many  an  ounce 
of  "  dust "  has  gone  into  the  pioneer  merchant's  hands  in  exchange  for 
the  necessaries  of  life.  The  first  stock  of  goods  consisted  of  a  barrel  of 
bottled  beer,  five  gallons  of  unclassified  whiskey,  five  or  six  pounds  of 
tobacco,  crackers,  cheese,"  bacon,  and  some  dried  beans.  The  first  order 
sent  to  Denver,  after  the  business  had  been  established,  amounted  to  the 
munificent  sum  of  $25,  and  was  considered  a  long  invoice  at  that.  These 
pioneers  were  not  so  comfortably  housed  and  fed  as  people  might  imagine, 
and  their  "grub  stakes"  often  consisted  of  very  short  commons.  Space 
forbids  the  detailing  of  many  humorous  and  pathetic  occurrences  inci- 
dent to  a  mining  camp.  The  first  comers  had  many  difficulties  to  over- 
come and  many  privations  to  contend  with;  but  they  "  made  their  stake," 
and  are  correspondingly  happy.  Those  coming  in  now  have  the  comforts 
and  conveniences  of  the  larger  places,  and  the  town  of  Fremont  is  quite 
metropolitan  in  its  character.  Fremont  has  had  a  wonderful  growth 
and  bids  fair  to  become  a  most  important  town,  aside  from  its  distinc- 
tion as  the  central  point  of  the  greatest  gold-mining  district  of  the  age. 

The  town  has  two  newspapers,  the  Crusher^  the  pioneer  sheet,  and 
the  Prospector,  established  a  short  time  after.  A  very  few  weeks  more 
and  one  of  the  above  papers  will  appear  as  a  daily. 


THE  BANK  OF  CRIPPLE  CREEK. 


This  is  the  only  bank  in  the  camp.  It  is  a  private  institution,  and 
has  a  number  of  first-class  men  connected  with  it.  It  is  in  charge  of 
J.  M.  Parker,  a  gentleman  well  fitted  to  run  the  business.  The  bank 
has  ample  capital  to  handle  the  business  of  the  camp. 


11 

FREMONT. 


UPON  a  series  of  easy-rolling  mounds,  shut  in  and  sheltered  by  min- 
oral-beariug  mountains  on  the  north  and  east,  lies  the  thriving 
settlement  of  Fremont.  It  is  principally  located  upon  the  Hayden  Placer, 
taken  up  in  the  spring  of  1891,  which  has  been  extensively  worked  as 
a  placer  claim,  yielding  rich  returns,  until,  on  account  of  its  favorable 
situation,  the  encroachments  of  settlers  compelled  the  locators  to  plat 


and  dispose  of  a  portion  of  the  ground  for  town  purposes.  As  new 
discoveries  of  mineral  were  made  in  the  vicinity,  miners'  cabins  were 
hastily  erected,  stores  were  opened,  a  postoffice  established,  churches 
built,  until  now  a  city  stands  marking  the  enterprise  of  man,  inspired 
by  the  prospect  of  acquiring  a  share  of  nature's  hidden  wealth. 

The  present  structures  are  now  becoming  quite  pretentious,  and  in 
spite  of  the  obstacles  to  bo  overcome  in  getting  material  into  the  camp, 
buildings,  for  trade  and  residence,  that  would  be  a  credit  to  any  city  are 
being  erected,  overshadowing  in  their  massive  proportions  the  primitive 
huts  that  were  the  homes  of  the  early  prospectors. 

Here  is  the  postoffice;  opposite  is  the  Bank  of  Cripple  Creek,  the 
telegraph  and  express  offices.    On  all  sides  are  stores,  carrying  immense 


12 

stocks  of  merchandise,  freely  interspersed  with  hotels,  restaurants,  and 
lodging-houses,  affording  every  accommodation  for  residents  and  so- 
journers. Upon  this  tract,  a  magnificent  hotel,  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  rooms,  is  under  way,  from  whose  broad  verandas  may  be 
seen  the  sun-kindled  peaks  of  the  Sangre  de  Christo  range  to  the  south- 
west, while  within  may  be  found  luxuriously-furnished  apartments,  with 
such  urban  features  as  electric  bells,  electric  lights,  open  fire-places,  and 
every  facility  for  comfort. 

From  the  north,  leading  into  Bison  street,  comes  the  new  road  from 
Hayden  Divide,  along  which  runs  the  telegraph  and  telephone  wires. 

Here,  too,  will  be  the  terminus  of  the  extension  of  the  Bear  Creek 
toll  Toad,  which  will  give  direct  and  easy  communication  with  Colorado 
Springs. 

Water  will  be  furnished  by  a  pipe-line,  carrying  the  pure  water  of 
Beaver  Creek  through  the  streets  of  the  Hayden  Placer,  thus  meeting 
what  has  heretofore  been  the  great  want  of  the  camp.  The  Hayden 
Placer  Company  still  have  lots  for  sale,  at  reasonable  rates,  in  their 
rich  and  beautiful  tract,  where  all  these  improvements  are  located;  out 
of  which,  in  the  intervals  of  other  occupations,  the  thrifty  purchaser 
may  wash  out  the  glittering,  golden  nuggets  that  abound  in  the  soil. 
The  Company  have  reserved  a  large  portion  of  the  tract,  not  yet  en- 
croached upon  by  buildings,  for  placer  work,  which  they  propose  to 
conduct  on  a  large  scale.  For  further  particulars  and  prices,  address 
J.  M.  Parker,  at  Fremont,  or  the  oflBcers  of  the  Company,  at  Colorado 
Springs,  as  follows:  F.  W.  Howbert,  President;  H.  C.  McCreery,  Vice 
President;  S.  H.  Kinsley,  Secretary;  and  J.  C.  Plumb,  Treasurer. 


Report  of  Prof.  Geo.  H.  Stone  upon  The  Hayden 

Placer. 


THE  geological  structure  of  the  region  in  question  is  as  follows:  This 
placer  is  situated  in  the  midst  of  a  volcanic  region,  containing 
numerous  cones,  ridges,  and  dikes  of  volcanic  origin.  The  central  mass 
of  the  cones  consists  of  lava,  but  the  flanks  of  the  cones  and  ridges  are 
covered  with  a  considerable  thickness  of  volcanic  conglomerate,  or  tufa, 
composed  of  the  mixed  blocks,  stones,  cinders  and  dust  blown  out  of 
the  crarters,  and  which,  falling  on  the  lower  slopes  of  the  mountains,  were 
subsequently  more  or  less  cemented  or  consolidated  into  rock.    The 


13 

tufa  has  often  weathered  into  a  loose  mass  of  no  longer  cemented  gravel, 
and  thus  erodes  easily.  The  result  is,  that  the  valleys  and  gulches  of 
the  region  contain  deep  sheets  of  volcanic  gravel  —  i.  e.,  fragments  of 
disintegrated  tufa,  mixed  with  more  or  less  wash  from  the  higher  lava 
masses,  or  the  bodies  of  granite  which  here  and  there  protrude  through 
the  volcanic  rock. 

Beneath  the  drifted  or  washed  gravel  is  usually  found,  at  a  depth 
of  ten  to  forty  feet,  remains  of  the  original  sheet  of  volcanic  tufa.  This 
forms  a  more  or  less  continuous  sheet,  and,  technically,  may  be  considered 
as  fragmental  rock  in  place.     It  is  rather  easily  du^;:.  and  practically 


forms  the  bed-rock  of  the  placer  mines,  since  the  gold  settled  down 
through  the  more  porous  surface  wash,  and  is  most  abundant  on  the 
top,  or  in  the  upper  layers  of  the  tufa.  The  tract  in  question  is  thus 
cleatly  shown  to  have  the  proper  structure  of  placers. 

Several  trenches  and  shafts  have  been  dug  on  the  property.  I  have 
panned  gravel  in  all  of  these  workings,  and  always  found  colors  and 
black  sand,  and  the  richer  layera  gave  thirty  to  seventy -five  colors  of 
granular  gold  per  pan.    The  ground  is  undoubtedly  placer. 

The  elevation  of  the  place  is  about  9,300  feet,  which  is  above  the 
elevation  of  general  agriculture.  The  land  comprised  in  this  location  is 
too  uneven,  and  the  gulches  too  narrow,  to  enable  the  land  to  be  easily 


14 

or  profitably  irrigated.  The  local  supply  of  water  is  inadequate  for 
irrigation,  and  the  land  is  not  worth  bringing  in  irrigation  water  for 
from  abroad.  Practically,  the  land  is  valuable  only  for  grazing  and  for 
placers.  It  is  highly  probable  the  pannings  at  the  various  workings 
fairly  represent  the  ground.  If  this  be  so,  the  land  is  much  more  useful 
for  its  mineral  than  as  grazing  land.    In  my  opinion  it  is  so. 

(Signed)  George  H.  Stone. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  19th  day  of  February,  1892. 
[seal]  Ira  Harris,  N.  P. 


The  Cripple  Creek  Consolidated  Mining  Co. 

Of  Colorado  Springs,  was  among  the  first  companies  to  organize  for  the 
purpose  of  assisting  in  the  development  of  the  new  and  promising  gold 
fields  of  Cripple  Creek.  The  Company  is  made  up  of  some  of  the  most 
careful  and  conservative  business  men  of  Colorado  Springs,  who  can 
command  sufficient  capital  to  carry  out  any  legitimate  enterprise  they 
may  engage  in.  This  Company  now  owns  and  controls  a  large  number 
of  the  most  desirable  mining  properties  in  the  district,  on  which  thorough 
development  work  is  being  pushed.  This  Company  is  capitalized  for 
$2,000,000.  Two  million  shares,  par  value  $1.  Stock  not  assessable.  A 
limited  number  of  the  shares  of  the  stock  of  this  Company,  just  placed 
on  sale  at  ten  cents  per  share,  is  being  rapidly  absorbed.  The  Directors 
of  the  Company  are:  Jos.  P.  Humphrey,  President,  John  G.  Shields, 
Vice  President;  F.  W.  Howbert,  Second  Vice  President;  H.  S.  Ervay, 
Treasurer;  George  Macklin,  Secretary;  Louis  R.  Ehrich,  J.  L.  Marston, 
D.  I.  Christopher,  H.C.  McCreery.  Principal  office  of  the  Company  is  at 
112  Pike's  Peak  avenue,  Colorado  Springs,  Colo. 


L.  E.  DWINELL  &  CO. 


The  above  firm  are  real  estate,  loan,  and  insurance  agents,  and 
notary  public;  also,  agents  for  real  estate,  consisting  of  choice  improved 
and  unimproved  property,  vacant  lots,  selected  acreage,  garden  tracts, 
cultivated  farms,  and  fine  irrigated  ranches;  also,  loan  money  on  good 
Becurity,  and  write  insurance  in  reliable  companies,  at  low  rates.  Min- 
ing stocks  bought  and  sold.  Address,  Room  11,  Bank  Building,  Colo- 
o-ado  Springs. 


HUNDLEY'S   STAGE   LINE. 


HUNDLEY'S  STAGE  LINE  of  mountain  climbers  and  original  Con- 
cord coaches  carries  the  passenger  from  Florissant,  on  his  arrival 
there,  to  the  mining  camp,  twenty  miles  away.  This  is  the  official  line 
of  the  Midland,  and  owned  by  one  of  the  Company,  who  originated  and 
planned  the  beautiful  carriage  drive,  now  so  famous,  to  the  summit  of 
old  colossal  Pike's  Peak.  The  drive  to  the  camp  passes  through  some 
of  the  most  pleasant  valleys,  skirting  mountains  that  rise  to  far-reaching 
heights,  and  down  gentle  slopes,  along  which  the  coaches  swiftly  roll 
behind  a  team  of  •ix  well-trained  horses,  urged  by  drivers  of  rare  cour- 
age and  experience.  April  first  will  see  this  popular  stage  line  on  the 
new  toll  road,  which  leaves  the  Midland  at  Hayden's  Divide,  thus  mak- 
ing the  shortest  line  to  Fremont  by  fifteen  miles,  and  reducing  the  time 
about  one  hour  and  thirty  minutes,  which  will  then  seem  to  the  traveler 
as  a  pleasant  trip,  capped  by  a  beautiful  mountain  drive,  most  of  the 
way  in  full  view  of  famous  "Pike's  Peak."  In  purchasing  tickets,  ask 
for  through  tickets  by  the  Midland  Railroad  and  Hundlej^  Stage  Line, 
thus  securing  a  seat  and  avoiding  the  rush  on  the  arrival  of  the  train. 


Genuine  Mine  Interests,  Cheap. 

T.  B.  Pyles,  editor  of  the  Beacon,  at  Florissant,  Colorado,  one  of  the 
first  prospectors  in  the  camp,  has  extensive  interests;  and  instead  of 
stocking  his  mines,  offers  half,  quarter,  or  smaller  interests,  for  sale  at  a 
small  advance  over  first  cost.  The  Beacon  lode,  a  150-foot  vein  of  $25 
ore,  is  one  of  his.  All  will  be  developed  to  pay-dirt.  Mr.  Pyles  offers  a 
good  opportunity  to  all  who  wish  to  obtain  real  interests  at  low  figures. 


THE  ^E^Y  CLARENDON  HOTEL. 


THE  present  proprietors  of  the  Continental  Hotel  have  in  the  course 
of  construction,  and  will  soon  occupy,  the  big,  new  hotel,  which 
will  be  known  as  the  Clarendon.  Mr.  Wolfe,  the  genial  host  of  the  Con- 
tinental, will  be  in  charge,  and  will  make  his  guests  more  comfortable 
than  ever.  The  new  building  will  be  three  steries,  fronting  100  feet 
west  by  125  feet  south,  and  125  feet  deep.  The  location  is  the  most 
beautiful  and  advantageous  in  Fremont,  and  will  contain  125  rooms, 
with  parlors,  bar  and  billiard  rooms,  large  reception  rooms,  three  private 
offices,  bath  rooms,  barber  shop,  telegraph  office,  express  office,  and  stage 
line  offices — all  stages  arriving  and  departing  from  the  Clarendon.  The 
building  will  be  furnished  throughout  with  Brussels  and  Moquette 
carpets,  and  the  furniture  will  be  elegantly  finished  and  of  latest  de- 
signs. The  ladies'  parlor  will  contain  a  grand  piano,  of  the  latest  make. 
The  entire  building  will  be  supplied  with  hand  fire-grenades,  electric 
onunciators,  bells,  and  everything  that  can  lend  to  comfort,  convenience 
and  safety.  The  furniture  will  be  supplied  by  the  De  La  Vergno  Fur- 
niture Company,  and  will  be  of  the  latest  and  most  elegant  design. 
The  dining  room  will  seat  one  hundred  guests.  There  will  be  three 
stores  in  the  building,  to  be  used  by  the  mining  men  for  ore  and  milling 
offices  and  ore  sample  rooms.  Everything  will  be  as  complete  as  money 
can  make  or  brains  suggest,  the  location  will  be  convenient  for  those 
who  wish  to  inspect  the  mines,  the  scenery  is  grand  and  picturesque, 
the  air  very  invigorating,  and  Mr.  Wolfe's  guests  will  receive  the  best 
of  everything,  including  the  very  best  care  this  well-known  and  univer- 
sally admired  host  can  bestow.  The  Clarendon  will  be  open  for  business 
about  April  20,  and  in  the  meantime  the  Continental  is  at  the  old  place. 


18 

Cripple  Creek  Toll  Road,  Land  and  Improvement 
Company. 

THE  new  toll  road,  running  between  Hayden's  Divide  and  Fremont, 
which  will  be  completed  April  first,  will  be  known  as  the  Cripple 
Creek  Toll  Road,  constructed  by  the  above-named  Company,  of  which 
the  Directors  are  well  known,  and  the  most  substantial  business  men 
in  this  section  of  this  country.  They  are:  John  A.  Himebaugh,  J.  E. 
Davidson,  William  Lennox,  R.  Clough,  and  W.  Rowell,  of  whom  R.  Clough 
is  President;  John  A.  Himebaugh,  Vice  President  and  Treasurer;  W. 
Rowell,  Secretary,  and  J.  E.  Davidson,  General  Manager.  The  road,  as 
completed,  leaves  Hayden's  Divide,  the  nearest  railroad  station  on  the 
Colorado  Midland,  to  the  now -famous  gold  mines  of  Cripple  Creek,  as  it 
is  popularly  known,  at  an  altitude  of  9,000  feet,  and,  skirting  the  foot- 
hills of  Pike's  Peak,  it  passes  along  an  easy  grade,  over  a  fine  road-bed, 
of  an  estimated  cost  of  $10,000,  through  scenery  not  surpassed  by  any 
other  in  America;  winding  along  under  overhanging  mountains,  crossing 
Four  Mile  Creek  some  seven  miles  from  Hayden,  probably  one  of  the 
most  beautiful  points  along  the  drive.  When  completed,  the  stages,  in 
connection  with  the  Colorado  Midland  Railroad  suburban  trains  from 
Denver,  Pueblo,  Colorado  Springs,  and  intermediate  points,  will  carry 
the  passenger  the  round  trip  to  the  camp  in  one  day,  giving  the  visitor 
four  hours  among  the  many  mines,  reducing  the  distance  fifteen  miles, 
and  lessening  the  time  two  hours  each  way. 


KISSEL  &  OTIS. 


One  of  the  leading  real  estate  firms  of  Colorado  is  Messrs.  Kissel  & 
Otis,  office  104  Pike's  Peak  avenue,  Colorado  Springs.  They  are  heavy 
dealers  in  real  estate,  representing  a  number  of  eastern  capitalists;  also, 
do  a  large  business  in  placing  loans  and  investments  for  their  numerous 
correspondents.  In  addition,  they  are  general  agents  for  the  purchase 
and  sale  of  all  the  best  mining  stocks  of  the  Cripple  Creek  mining 
companies.  .-.._-,^ 

The  De  La  Yergne  Furniture  Co. 

The  De  La  Vergne  Furniture  Company  are  the  only  furniture  deal- 
ers in  Cripple  Creek.  They  carry  a  large  and  well  selected  stock,  being 
a  branch  of  their  large  wholesale  and  retail  establishment  in  Colorado 
Springs.    The  store  is  under  the  management  of  J.  F.  Hardy. 


20 


The  Virginia  M.  Consolidated  Mining  Co. 

IT  is  now  nearly  forty  years  since  "To  Pike's  Peak  or  Bust"  was  dis- 
played on  the  wagon  covers  of  the  hardy  pioneers  en  route  to  the 
Colorado  gold  fields,  and  yet,  remarkable  as  it  may  seem,  the  actual  dis- 
covery of  gold,  in  large  quantities,  in  the  gulches  and  foot-hills  of  Pike's 
Peak  is  now  for  the  first  time  being  realized.  Mining,  at  its  best,  is 
more  or  less  chance  and  opportunity.  The  elements  of  chance  and 
opportunity  are  the  preponderating  features  in  the  newly-discovered 
gold  fields  of  Cpipple  Creek,  and  the  Virginia  M.  Consolidated  Mining 
Company  was  incorporated  with  a  view  to  reaping  a  golden  harvest  from 
both.  The  Company  now  owns,  controls,  and  are  actively  engaged  in 
developing  several  of  the  most  promising  properties  in  the  new  field. 
Among  these,  are  the  Virginia  M.  lode,  the  Midland  lode,  the  Lincoln 
lode,  the  Road  placer,  of  twenty  acres.  On  these  claims,  but  little  work 
has  yet  been  done;  but  enough  is  "in  sight"  to  justify  the  highest  hopes 
of  the  directory. 

In  an  illustrated  article  on  the  Cripple  Creek  gold  camp,  the  Denver 
Rocky  Mountain  Neivs,ot  Sunday,  February  28,  1892,  contains  the  fol- 
lowing: 

"  The  Virginia  M.  Consolidated  Mining  Company  became  incorpo- 
rated by  the  filing  of  articles  with  the  Secretary  of  State,  February  20, 
1892,  by  Messrs.  E.  W.  Sells,  D.  M.  Sells,  and  H.  A.  Dunn.  The  Board  of 
Directors,  for  the  first  year,  consists  of  the  following  gentlemen:  B.  H. 
Bryant,  President;   S.  N.  Nye,  Vice  President;  E.  W.  Sells,  Treasurer; 


21 

D.  M.  Sells,  Secretary;  William  A.  Welch,  Manager;-  H.  Collbran,  H.  A. 
Dunn.  The  first  act  of  the  corporation  was  to  purchase  the  Vir- 
ginia M.  lode,  located  on  the  south  slope  of  Mineral  Hill,  and  the  Road 
placer,  located  along  and  across  the  gulch  between  Mineral  and  Tender- 
foot Hills. 

"The  purchase  of  the  Lincoln  lode,  located  in  Squaw  Gulch,  was 
consummated  immediately  afterwards,  at  what  is  understood  to  be  one 
of  the  highest  prices  paid  outright  for  any  one  claim  in  the  district. 

"  The  Company  also  holds  a  bond  for  six  months  on  the  Midland, 
located  on  the  south  slope  of  Rhyolite  Mountain. 

"It  is  probable  that  more  development  work  will  be  required  on  the 
Virginia  M.  and  Midland  lodes  to  reach  the  contact  of  the  granite  and 
porphyry,  on  account  of  a  greater  depth  of  wash  than  was  the  case  on 
the  Lincoln  lode,  on  account  of  nature  having  left  thereon  but  a  short 
distance  between  the  surface  and  the  granite-porphyry  contact. 

"However,  before  purchasing  the  Virginia  M.  and  Midland  lodes, 
the  Company  secured  an  opinion,  from  one  of  the  most  noted  geologists 
of  the  country,  upon  these  two  claims,  and  he  pronounced  them  as  among 
the  best  in  the  Cripple  Creek  district,  and  as  certain  of  carrying  the 
granite-porphyry  contact,  between  which  the  true  veins  of  this  district 
are  to  be  found.  Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  fact  that  on  both 
of  these  claims  the  Company's  expert  found  chimneys,  or  blow-outs,  of 
vein  matter." 

On  the  same  date,  in  the  same  paper,  in  an  article  giving  a  general 
description  of  the  active  Cripple  Creek  camp,  the  following  paragraph 
appears: 

"In  the  little  gulch  between  the  Blue  Bell  Hill  and  Gold  Hill  there 
are  several  prospects,  among  which  is  the  Lincoln,  owned  by  the  Virginia 
M.  Company.     It  has  shown  assays  of  $28  to  S40  gold.'' 

The  President  o!  the  Virginia  M.  Company  is  Mr.  Bryant,  the  Chief 
Engineer  of  the  Colorado  Midland  Railway.  The  directory  includes  Mr. 
Collbran,  the  General  Manager,  and  Mr.  Sells,  Auditor  of  the  Midland 
Railway  Company.  The  fact  that  the  Virginia  M.  Company  is  under  the 
control  of  these  careful,  competent,  and  successful  railway  officials,  is 
a  sufficient  guarantee  that  the  affairs  of  the  Company  will  be  conserva- 
tively and  economically  managed.  A  limited  number  of  shares  of  stock 
will  be  placed  upon  the  market  for  further  development  work  and  the 
purchase  of  machinery. 

For  full  information  concerning  our  prospects,  address 

D.  M.  Sells,  Secretary, 
No.  Ill  Hagerman  Block,  Colorado  Springs,  Colo. 


22 


The  Buena  Vista  Mining  Company. 


THE  Buena  Vista  mine  is  situated  on  Bull  Mountain,  west  of  Grassy 
Gulch.  It  was  discovered  in  July,  1891,  by  Mr.  Dougherty,  pros- 
pector, who  had  recently  started  in  the  new  camp.  He  found  a  small 
vein  two  or  three  inches  in  the  porphyry.  Sinking  on  this,  it  opened  up, 
until  at  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  he  had  a  vein  of  from  four  to  five  inches 
in  width.  The  value  of  the  vein  matter  was  sufficient  to  warrant  further 
development.  Dougherty,  not  having  sufficient  funds  to  develop  the 
property,  took  in  as  partners  Steven  Blair  and  William  Steele,  giving 
them  a  half  interest  for  sinking  the  shaft  to  a  depth  of  thirty-five  feet. 
When  the  shaft  had  been  sunk  to  this  depth,  Messrs.  Pourtales  and 
Parrish,  who  were  looking  over  the  camp  for  investment,  arrived  at  the 
Buena  Vista,  and  were  particularly  pleased  with  the  appearance  of 
things.  Mr.  Parrish  had  had  a  large  experience  in  mining,  and  thought 
the  chances  for  a  good  mine  were  here.  However,  to  make  assurance 
doubly  sure,  the  services  of  Mr.  Newberry,  of  Aspen,  were  engaged,  and, 
in  company  with  Messrs.  Pourtales  and  Parrish,  he  made  a  trip  to  the 
camp,  and  examined  the  Buena  Vista.  His  opinion  coincided  so  thor- 
oughly with  Mr.  Parrish's  as  to  the  value  of  the  property  that  a  bond 
and  lease  were  at  once  made,  and  a  contract  let  to  sink  the  shaft  to  a 
depth  of  seventy-five  feet.  The  result  of  this  forty  feet  of  sinking  was 
the  shipment  of  a  car-load,  of  eigteen  tons,  of  ore  to  the  Omaha  and 


23 

Grant  Smelting  and  Refining  Company,  in  Denver.  The  first  real  mill 
run  from  the  property  gave  a  net  return  of  over  $120  per  ton.  A  few 
more  feet  were  sunk  on  the  shaft,  when  levels  were  started  north  and 
south,  developing  a  large  vein  of  ore,  averaging  over  $100  per  ton.  The 
levels  are  about  fifty  feet  in  length.  The  shaft  is  being  sunk,  and  at 
this  time  has  reached  a  depth  of  130  feet.  At  the  bottom  of  the  shaft 
the  vein  is  three  feet  wide,  and  gives  an  average  assay  of  about  $100  per 
ton.  Assorted  samples  from  the  vein  have  given  as  high  as  $500,  The 
net  result  of  this  dead  work,  including  the  sinking  of  the  first  forty  feet 
of  the  shaft  in  the  bond  and  lease,  has  been  a  surplus  of  about  $2,000 
over  and  above  the  expenses  of  development. 

The  fissure  is  filled  with  quartz,  and  is  from  two  to  three  feet  in 
width.  It  has  been  steadily  increasing  in  size,  since  the  shaft  was 
thirty-five  feet  deep.  The  country  rock  is  porphyry,  which  is  impreg- 
nated with  value  chiefly  in  the  seams.  The  country  rock  from  the  shaft 
and  levels  has  an  average  value  of  over  $25  per  ton,  while  assorted  sam- 
ples have  run  as  high  as  $800  to  the  ton.  The  value  in  the  vein  consists 
of  about  sixty  per  cent,  of  free  gold,  the  balance  being  divided  between 
telluride  of  gold  and  iron  pyrites. 

The  Company  is  stocked  for  $70,000,  and  most  of  the  stock  is  owned 
by  Messrs.  Pourtales  and  Parrish. 

The  work  is  being  carried  on  under  the  general  management  of  Mr. 
Parrish,  with  Mr.  T.  P.  McDonald  as  local  Superintendent. 


The  First  National  Bank  of  Colorado  Springs. 


There  is  no  more  exact  measure  of  the  solid  prosperity  and  advance 
of  any  city  than  that  which  is  furnished  by  the  growth  and  stability  of 
its  banking  institutions.  The  First  National  Bank  of  Colorado  Springs^ 
occuping  spacious  and  handsome  quarters  in  the  new  Bank  Block,  has 
fully  kept  pace  with  the  city's  rapid  and  substantial  growth,  and  may 
now  be  justly  classed  among  the  foremost  financial  institutions  of  the 
State.  We  quote  the  following  suggestive  figures  from  its  statement 
of  March  1st,  1892:  Capital,  $100,000;  surplus,  and  undivided  profits, 
$125,152.64;  deposits,  $912,481.56;  total  resources,  $1,162,316.37.  The 
oflBcers  of  the  First  National  Bank  are:  J.  J.  Hagerman,  President; 
J.  A.  Hayes,  Cashier;  A.  Sutton,  Assistant  Cashier.  The  Board  of 
Directors  is  composed  of  the  following:  J.  J.  Hagerman,  Louis  R.  Ehrich, 
Irving  Howbert,  B.  F.  Crowell,  E.  J.  Eaton,  and  J.  A.  Hayes. 


The  Calumet  Mining  and  Milling  Co, 


THE  "  Morning  Star  "  and  "  Burns  "  lodes  were  located  in  August,  1891, 
by  Patrick  Burns,  an  old  and  well-known  prospector.  Later  on,  Mr. 
John  J.  Mullin,  the  present  manager,  bought  a  half  interest  in  the  mines, 
and  they  were  then  worked  by  the  firm  of  Mullin  &  Bro.  In  January, 
1892,  the  Calumet  Mining  and  Milling  Company  was  organized,  and  pur- 
chased the  properties  from  the  firm.  The  officers  of  the  Company  are: 
President,  Major  John  Hulbert,  a  well-known  mining  man,  and  Presi- 
dent of  the  Pike's  Peak  Cog  Road;  Vice  President,  Mr.  W.  Putnam  Page, 
a  well-known  business  man  of  Boston,  Massachusetts;  Secretary  and 
Treasurer,  Mr.  Robt.  D.  Weir,  senior  member  of  Weir  &  Rupp,  Mani- 
tou;  and  Manager,  Mr.  John.  J.  Mullin,  one  of  the  earliest  to  come  into 
the  camp,  and  a  man  of  well-known  business  capacity,  energy,  and  fit- 
ness. The  capital  stock  of  the  Company  is  8700,000,  fully  paid,  and 
the  shares  are  non -assessable.  Of  this  amount,  8300,000  constitute  the 
treasury  stock.  The  object  of  this  Company  is  to  operate  the  mines  of 
the  Calumet  Mining  and  Milling  Company,  in  the  Cripple  Creek  mining 
district.  Their  property  consists  of  the  Morning  Star  and  the  Burns 
lodes,  situate  and  described  as  follows:  The  Morning  Star  is  on  the  east 


slope  of  Bull  Mountain,  and  is  the  extension  of  the  famous  Buena  Vista 
mine,  which  was  surveyed  along  the  vein  which  runs  through  the  Morn- 
ing Star.  Depth  of  fifty  feet,  and  ore  will  soon  be  shipped.  The  Burns 
lode  is  nearer  the  top  of  Bull  Mountain,  and  lies  joining  the  Pharmacist 
lode  on  the  east.    For  full  information,  address 

RoBT.  D.  Weir,  Secretary^ 

Manitou,  Colo. 

Graham  &  Spraguc,  Mining  Stock  Brokers. 


One  of  the  leading  firms  in  the  mining  business  is  Graham  &  Sprague. 
They  only  commenced  business  on  March  1st,  l?ut  in  the  first  two  weeks 
sold  over  150,000  shares  of  stock.  They  are  both  reliable  business  men, 
and  are  thoroughly  acquainted  in  Colorado  Springs  and  Cripple  Creek. 
Mr.  R.  H.  Graham,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  was  for  some  time 
advertising  manager  of  the  Daily  Gazette  and  was  formerly  connected 
with  Chicago  and  Denver  dailies.  Mr.  J.  A.  Sprague  was  for  a  good 
many  years  cashier  of  the  Gazette  Printing  Company  of  this  city. 
They  are  the  official  brokers  for  the  following  companies:  Big  Pocket, 
Myrtle,  Star  of  the  West,  Equitable,  Jeff  Davis,  and  Mount  Rosa.  They 
also  buy  and  sell  all  other  stocks  on  commission.  Persons  desiring  any 
information  in  regard  to  mines  or  stocks  would  do  well  to  correspond 
with  them.  They  have  stocks  of  all  the  principal  companies  of  Cripple 
Creek  and  Aspen,  and  also,  several  valuable  interests  in  mining  proper- 
ties for  sale.  Their  office  is  located  at  112  Pike's  Peak  Avenue,  Colorado 
Springs,  Colo. 


CRIPPLE  CREEK  PROSPECTS. 


EDITORIAL  FROM  COLORADO  SPRINGS  GAZETTE  OF  MARCH  20,  1802. 


THERE  can  be  no  doubt  whatever,  that  at  the  present  time  there  are 
thousands  of  people  in  the  Eastern  States  who  are  watching  with 
eager  eyes  the  developments  in  the  Colorado  mines,  and  as  soon  as  the 
warm  weather  comes  these  capitalists  and  laborers  will  go  in  throngs  to 
the  mining  camps  which  offer  the  best  prospects  for  wealth.  The  fact 
that  some  of  the  camps  have  been  overdone  is  both  an  advantage  and 
a  detriment  to  Cripple  Creek.  It  is  a  detriment  because  it  shows  how 
possible  it  is  to  make  a  great  deal  of  smoke  from  little  flame,  to  get  a 
reputation  on  the  product  of  a  single  noiine,  and  to  draw  immense  crowds 


26 


on  very  slender  foundation.  It  is  an  advantage,  because  it  has  removed 
from  Cripple  Creek  some  of  its  strongest  rivals  to  public  attention  and 
popular  favor. 

For  the  next  few  weeks  Cripple  Creek  will  be  the  center  of  attraction. 
It  will  receive  more  attention  than  any  other  new  camp,  more  than  most 
old  ones.  It  will  be  most  carefully  scrutinized,  it  will  be  criticised,  it 
will  be  extravagantly  praised,  and  bitterly  blamed.  At  the  end  of  two 
or  three  months  the  leaders  of  public  opinion  will  have  made  up  their 


-==- :_^ — 


minds  about  the  new  mines,  and  as  that  opinion  is  bound  to  be  distinctly 
favorable,  there  will  follow  the  greatest  rush  to  the  mines  that  has  ever 
been  known  in  the  history  of  the  State,  the  early  days  of  Leadville  not 
excepted.  The  next  few  weeks  will  be  the  period  of  examination,  after 
that  will  come  the  marvelous  growth. 

For  this  period  of  scrutiny,  Cripple  Creek  is  now  in  good  condition. 
The  thing  that  makes  a  mining  district  is  the  mines.  It  does  not  make 
any  difference  how  many  people  there  are  at  Fremont,  or  what  town  lots 
are  worth  there  or  at  Lawrence,  or  even  what  mining  stocks  are  worth 
in  Colorado  Springs.  The  thing  that  counts  is  the  mines  and  the  ore 
that  is  being  taken  out  of  them. 


27 

During  the  paf5t  week  a  repreBentative  of  the  Gazette  was  in  the 
district.  His  report  consists  not  of  his  own  opinions,  but  of  facts,  things 
which  he  saw,  and  the  opinions  of  some  of  the  best  mining  experts  in  the 
country.  He  visited  every  accessible  mine  in  the  district.  Nearly  every 
one  of  them  is  working  two  or  three  shifts  of  men.  That  is  the  best  fact 
that  has  been  recorded  about  Cripple  Creek.  Another  fact  is,  that  every 
man  who  wishes  to  work  can  find  employment.  Wages  have  risen,  and 
there  are  no  idle  men  in  Fremont,  except  those  who  are  idle  from  choice. 


FANNING   tiQluli. 


A  most  significant  fact  is  that  the  tunnels  and  shafts  are  being  perma- 
nently timbered.  There  is  evidence  that  the  owners  of  the  mines  are  nt)t 
only  satisfied  that  they  have  ore,  and  are  willing  to  put  up  the  money  to 
prove  it,  but  they  also  expect  to  keep  on  taking  out  ore  for  a  long  time 
to  come,  and  are  making  arrangements  for  it  now. 

In  short,  at  the  time  when  it  can  most  readily  draw  the  attention  of 
the  State  and  of  the  whole  country,  Cripple  Creek  finds  itself  not  at  the 
end  of  a  wave  of  prosperity,  but  at  its  beginning;  not  with  an  over- 
infiated  real  estate  boom  dragging  it  down,  but  with  the  mining  inter- 
est far  in  the  ascendant;  with  more  people  going  in  than  are  coming 
out;  with  a  winter  well  past,  and  a  summer  well  begun;  with  a  propor- 
tion between  honest,  hard  work  and  speculation  that  is  remarkable  for  a 
new  camp,  and  would  not  discredit  any  of  any  age. 


28 
THE  PIKE'S  PEAK  ROUTE. 


TO  THE  traveler  within  the  State, or  the  tourist  en  route  from  ocean 
to  ocean,  there  is  no  trip  so  delightful  and  satisfactory  as  that  from 
(Colorado  Springs  to  Grand  Junction  or  Salt  Lake  City,  over  the  Pike's 
Peak  Route.  Not  only  does  the  Pike's  Peak  Route  disclose  the  wonder- 
ful beauties  of  the  mountain  ranges  en  masse,  but  by  its  bold  course  into 

the  very  heart  of  the  giant 
ranges,  it  discloses,  in  details  of 
marvelous  beauty,  boldness  and 
grandeur,  the  whole  tremendous 
fabric  of  "the  great  back-bone 
of  the  earth." 

The  Pike's  Peak  Route  crosses 
the  three  great  ranges  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains  in  Colorado, 
climbs  as  many  lofty  passes,  tra- 
verses three  canons,  which  are 
peculiarly  typical  of  the  wild 
and  rugged,  the  mild  and  beau- 
tiful, and  the  awful  and  sublime, 
in  the  mountain  scenery,  follows 
the  beautiful  valleys  of  two  of 
the  greatest  rivers  of  Colorado, 
crosses  one  of  the  three  greatest 
parks  lying  within  the  Rocky 
Mountain  chain,  passes  through 
the  leading  summer  resorts  of 
the  State,  touches  the  two  great- 
est mining  camps  of  the  world, 
and  all  the  way  over  a  solid  and 
magnificent  road-bed,  on  a  line  which  for  railway  engineering  is  the 
wonder  of  the  world. 

The  Colorado  Midland  Railway  is  the  standard-gauge  road  crossing 
the  Rocky  Mountains  in  Colorado.  From  Denver  it  runs  directly  west 
through  Colorado  Springs,  an  all-the-year-round  health  resort;  a  clean, 
pleasant,  beautiful  town,  with  all  the  conveniences  and  luxuries  of  a 
metropolitan  city;  to  Manitou,  the  famous,  the  romantic,  the  beautiful, 
with  its  innumerable  novelties  and  attractions,  and  its  world-famous  min- 
eral waters — one  of  the  finest  summer  and  winter  resorts  in  the  world. 


20 

Then  come  Cascade  Canon,  nestling  in  a  picturesque  spot  at  the  base 
of  Pike's  Peak;  Ute  Park,  in  the  center  of  the  famous  Ute  Pass,  over- 
looking a  lovely  valley,  hemmed  in  by  lofty  mountains;  Green  Mountain 
Falls,  a  cosmopolitan  resort,  which  became  famous  in  a  season,  and 
whose  fame  is  rapidly  spreading  from  day  to  day;  Woodland  Park, 
at  the  head  of  the  Ute  Pass,  with  a  view  of  Pike's  Peak,  which  once  seen 
is  never  forgotten;  and  then  Manitou  Park,  to  complete  the  list  of  re- 
sorts in  Ute  Pass,  one  of  the  most  beautiful  parks  in  all  Colorado.    A 


coach  and  four  convey  the  traveler  from  the  station  to  the  park,  seven 
miles  distant. 

From  Ute  Pass  the  road  extends  west  over  the  Hayden  Divide,  down 
to  and  through  Granite  Canon,  across  South  Park,  over  Trout  Creek 
Pass,  and  down  to  Buena  Vista,  in  the  Arkansas  Valley,  and  thence  to 
Leadville.  The  route  from  Leadville  west  is  over  the  Saguache  Range, 
or  Continental  Divide,  passing  through  the  Hagerman  Tunnel  at  an  alti- 
tude of  11,528  feet — the  highest  operating  railroad  in  the  United  States. 
From  the  summit  of  the  Snowy  Range  the  road  passes  down  the  Pacific 
Slope,  circling  Hell  Gate,  passing  through  the  Red  Rock  Canon  to  the 
Roaring  Fork  of  the  Grand  River  and  Glenwood  Springs. 


30 


COLORADO  SPRINGS. 


THE  discovery  and  development  of  the  Cripple  Creek  gold  nelds  must, 
of  necessity,  have  an  important  bearing  on  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  Colorado  Springs,  the  principal  city  of  the  Pike's  Peak  region, 
and  distant  but  fifteen  miles,  in  an  air  line,  from  the  new  El  Dorado. 
This  city,  founded  about  twenty  years  ago,  is  situated  seventy -five  miles 
south  of  Denver,  at  the  foot  of  Pike's  Peak,  and  at  the  entrance  to 
Ute  Pass,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  most  famous  scenery  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region.  It  has  grown  to  a  city  of  13,000  inhabitants,  chiefly 
through  its  increasing  fame  as  a  health  resort  and  charming  residence 
city;  though  of  late  years,  and  principally  since  the  building  of  the 
Colorado  Midland  Railway,  in  1886,  it  has  attained  considerable  import- 
ance as  a  commercial  center.  Its  unrivalled  climate  and  magnificent 
scenery  —  which  may  be  said,  without  exaggeration,  to  have  become 
world-famous  —  annually  bring  to  Colorado  Springs  thousands  of  health 
and  pleasure  seekers. 

Because  of  its  altitude  of  6.000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  its  far  inland 
location,  Colorado  Springs  possesses  a  climate  which,  the  year  round, 
has  no  superior  upon  the  globe.  This  climate  is  characterized  by  a 
light,  dry  and  tonic  atmosphere,  warm  winters  and  cool  summers,  and 
by  an  abundance  of  sunshine  and  a  preponderance  of  clear  weather. 
For  many  forms  of  chronic  disease  it  has  been  found  to  be  a  specific. 
Asthmatics  are  almost  invariably  relieved;  consumption,  in  its  earlier 
stages,  is  arrested  and  cured,  and  amelioration  afforded  at  all  stages;  the 
weak  and  debilitated  are  built  up,  and  the  long  train  of  evils  brought  on 
by  over- work  is  banished.  Tens  of  thousands  owe  their  lives  to  the  fact 
that  they  availed  themselves  in  season  of  the  wonderful  curative  prop- 
erties of  the  Colorado  climate. 

No  less  wonderful  than  its  climate  are  the  scenic  surroundings  of 
Colorado  Springs.  Within  a  radius  of  five  or  six  miles,  are  such  world- 
famous  scenic  features  as  the  Garden  of  the  Gods,  Manitou  Springs,  the 
Cheyenne  Canons,  Glen  Eyrie,  Monument  Park,  Blair  Athol,  and  a 
dozen  others,  all  within  easy  riding  or  driving  distance,  over  the  finest 
of  natural  roads  —  Manitou  and  the  Cheyenne  Canons  being  likewise 
accessible  by  electric  railway.  The  ascent  of  Pike's  Peak,  however, 
which  towers  over  8,000  feet  above  the  plain  on  which  Colorado  Springs 
stands,  has  for  many  visitors  the  supreme  interest.  This  ascent  may  be 
accomplished  by  pony  or  burro  over  one  of  the  several  trails;  or  behind 
a  four-in-hand,  over  the  Cascade  wagon  road;  or  in  one  of  the  handsome 


31 

observation  cars  of  the  newly-completed  cog  railway.  But  however  the 
ascent  is  accomplished,  it  is  sure  to  be  crowded  with  experiences  never 
to  be  forgotten. 

Not  only  is  Colorado  Springs  thus  highly  favored  in  location  and 
environment,  but  is  itself  a  most  beautiful  and  attractive  city,  with  a 
notably  intelligent  and  progressive  population,  who  enjoy  all  the  com- 
forts and  conveniences,  and  a  large  share  of  the  pleasures  and  advan- 
tages which  attach  to  modern  city  life.  Its  broad  avenues,  bordered 
with  trees,  are  lined  with  beautiful  and  costly  residences.  It  is  amply 
provided  with  hotels  of  the  several  classes,  and  with  large  numbers  of 
boarding  houses  and  rentable  cottages  and  villas.  It  has  twenty-five 
miles  of  finely  equipped  electric  railway,  is  lighted  by  electricity,  is  sup- 
plied with  the  purest  of  water  from  the  base  of  Pike's  Peak,  and  has  a 
complete  sewerage  system.  It  is  the  seat  of  the  State  Mute  and  Blind 
Institute,  of  the  Childs-Drexel  Home  for  Union  Printers,  and  of  Colo- 
rado College,  which  is  taking  high  rank  among  the  educational  institu- 
tions of  the  land.  It  has  three  banks;  numerous  church  edifices;  its 
public  schools  are  excelled  by  none;  it  has  a  beautiful  opera  house, 
seating  850;  flourishing  clubs,  and  the  Broadmoor  Casino,  which  ranks 
with  similar  establishments  found  at  the  French,  German  and  Italian 
spas.  Six  lines  of  railway  center  in  Colorado  Springs,  giving  it  a  posi- 
tion upon  two  of  the  most  popular  of  the  great  transcontinental  lines, 
and  connecting  it  directly  with  all  points  north,  south  and  east,  and 
with  all  the  mining  camps  and  great  scenic  features  of  the  westward- 
lying  mountains. 

Visitors  to  the  Cripple  Creek  gold  fields  are  advised  to  stop  over  at 
Colorado  Springs,  where  the  family  can  be  delightfully  domiciled  at  one 
of  the  numerous  hotels  or  boarding  houses,  and  enjoy  the  pleasures  of 
this  famous  resort  while  the  rougher  trip  to  the  mines  is  being  under- 
taken. For  combining  business  with  pleasure  during  this  summer's 
outing,  we  can  suggest  no  more  delightful  and  attractive  arrangement. 
From  Colorado  Springs  to  the  mines  is  but  a  few  hours'  journey,  via  the 
Colorado  Midland  Railway,  enabling  one  to  go  in  the  morning  and  re- 
turn, if  desired,  the  same  evening,  after  spending  several  hours  at  the 
camp. 


The  Gazette  Printing  Co.,  Colorado  Sprin,--.  Colo, 


